An ink jet printer generates prints or images by transferring ink from ink jet heads to a substrate, such as coated paper stock or uncoated paper stock. One type of ink used in ink jet printers is a solid, or phase change, ink. In some cases, such ink images may be rubbed or scratched from the surface of a substrate by minimal force; for example, due to poor bonding between the ink and the surface of the substrate. A movement, such as rubbing, scratching or creasing of the ink on the substrate may exert sufficient force on the ink to separate the ink from the surface of the substrate.
A coating may be applied to the surface of the substrate, with a spread ink image thereon, to cover the surface during a finishing step. The coating covers the surface of the substrate to protect the ink of the image from being rubbed from or scratched from the surface of the substrate. The coating may be a continuous dry film that is formed over the ink of the image. However, by applying the coating as a finishing step, the coating may not bond sufficiently with the ink on the surface of the substrate because the coating may fail to interact with the ink. As a result, the coating may be removed from the surface of the substrate by rubbing, scratching or creasing, while the ink may remain on the substrate.
Because the coating typically covers the entire surface of the substrate, the coating may often enhance the gloss of the surface, which may increase the visual appeal of the print or image. However, the poor interaction between the coating and the ink may allow the coating to be easily removed from the substrate. As the coating is removed from the surface of the substrate, the continuous film formed by the coating may become non-uniform or non-continuous across the surface of the substrate. As a result, the coating removed from the surface may form one or more visual detects to the gloss or to the continuous film.
Therefore, a need exists for a system and a method for protecting an ink image on the surface of a substrate that may apply a coating to the surface of the substrate prior to ink spreading of an image. Additionally, a need exists for a system and a method for protecting an ink image with a coating that may increase the strength of the interaction between the ink and the coating, thereby improving the robustness of the print. Further, a need exists for a system and a method that may apply heat and/or pressure to the ink and coating for increased interaction. Moreover, a need exists for a system and a method that provides a coating to minimize damaging effects to the image caused by a force such as rubbing, scratching and creasing.